This invention relates to media devices, specifically to devices for connecting to a network to efficiently manage the retrieval, storage and access of media data.
Prior art devices used to receive media data over a network have been designed for the end user to select stored media data, and either receive the media data streamed individually over a network (unicast), or receive the data already being broadcast to large numbers of users (multicast). Both of the delivery methods of the prior art employs one or more network servers responsible for the scheduling, retrieval and transmission of the media data to the end user. The end user media device generally performs the access and processing of the media data. In this scenario, each media data program must be re-transmitted by a media data provider each time it is scheduled for broadcast, or each time the end user decides to access the data. As a result, these methods of media data delivery are inefficient with respect to network bandwidth utilization, and therefore impart high network costs to the media data provider.
Methods have been developed to alleviate some of the negative effects associated with these inefficient transmission methods. One such development stores the media data at data hubs that are closer in proximity to the end user, thereby reducing network congestion, associated cost, and increasing efficiency by eliminating the need to re-transmit media data over long distances. However, this methodology does not reduce the need for individualized re-transmission of media data each time an end user makes a selection. U.S. Pat. No. 5,828,904 of Batson et al. describes the scheduled retrieval of data, however this system does not take advantage of storing media data locally for efficient re-accessing. Further, this system does not provide for copyright owners restrictions and other conditions placed on the media data. U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,080 of Dworzecki describes the scheduling of tasks subject to timing and succession constraints. However, this patent does not provide for additional restraints required by media data or copyright owners. In addition, the patent explicitly states that no task is performed at the same time as another task, thus limiting the access rate of the overall system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,187 of Cohen describes a video communication system which stores programs locally on a viewing device. This device also limits the access to particular movies and keeps track of royalty payments to movie providers. However, the device of this patent has no means for scheduling the retrieval, storage and access of movie or media data. Further, there is no disclosure of access restrictions placed on individual media data which dictate the scheduled retrieval, storage and access of media data. U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,892 to Gulick et al. describes a computer system with a data cache for providing real-time multimedia data to a multimedia engine. However, this system does not consider the efficiencies of media data reuse and access restrictions to media data based on media data and copyright owners restrictions. Therefore, a need remains for an method and system for managing retrieval, storage and access of media data to provide a continuous play list of media data downloaded from an external source, while considering any restrictions placed upon that media data.